Palm Coast man gets 25 years in accidental shooting of his wife

A Palm Coast man was sentenced Monday to 25 years in prison on a manslaughter charge in the February shooting death of his 30-year-old wife.

William Carson Merrill, 33, pleaded guilty Oct. 1 and had faced up to 30 years in prison.

The Flagler County Sheriff's Office said Merrill was pointing an AK-47 with a laser scope at his wife, Stefanie Merrill, talking about how bright the light was when the assault rifle went off and struck her in the chest. The couple's 3-year-old daughter was in the home taking a bath when the shooting occurred.

The Sheriff's Office said 25 firearms were recovered from their home.

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